Panama

Who Will the USMNT Start vs. Panama?

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Geoff Cameron (20. (Photo: USA Today Sports)
Geoff Cameron (20) will likely start at center back. (Photo: USA Today Sports)

 

In the United States’ final World Cup qualifier for the 2014 World Cup, for which it has already qualified, coach Jürgen Klinsmann has sent four players back to their club teams either due to injury or simply because he is going to rotate some of his other players into the starting line-up.

Against Panama, Klinsmann’s primary intention appears to evaluate or give playing time to some of the players who he already considers part of his best group of players but who aren’t starters. Klinsmann could either go with the 4-1-3-2 formation again, or he could revert back to the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Either way, one of the biggest questions is whether both Jozy Altidore and Aron Jóhannsson will start for the USMNT.

Both Jermaine Jones and Landon Donovan were released back to their club teams due to injury, but Matt Besler was sent back to his club team because Klinsmann is going to start Clarence Goodson in his place at center back instead.

Likewise, Tim Howard was sent back to Everton to allow Brad Guzan to receive some well-deserved minutes, and Guzan has already demonstrated on the club and international level that he has what it takes to be the starting keeper for the United States. While Howard is still the first-choice goalkeeper, Klinsmann needs to give Guzan some more playing time with the United States because he is roughly at the same level or higher than Howard, and the United States will need Guzan in the World Cup.

With these roster changes in mind, it would appear that the United States will likely start Brad Guzan in goal, Brad Evans at right back, Geoff Cameron and Clarence Goodson at center back, and DaMarcus Beasley or Edgar Castillo at left back.

Michael Orozco could possibly start at right back or possibly at center back, if Klinsmann wants to use Cameron as a defensive midfielder, but with Jermaine Jones and Matt Besler gone, Goodson and Cameron will probably start at center back with Kyle Beckerman at the defensive midfielder position.

There is also a possibility that Orozco could start at right back, but Klinsmann will likely start Evans, Cameron, Goodson, and Beasley as the defensive back four with Beckerman right in front of them as a midfield destroyer.

Panama’s speed and technical play could be a problem for players like Beckerman and Goodson, so Cameron might be without enough defensive support around him down the center of the field.

Given the lack of quality possession from the United States against Jamaica, Klinsmann could start Kljestan and Beckerman as a two-man defensive midfield, but the coach of the United States could just as easily simply instruct one of the other midfielders to provide Beckerman with some defensive support deeper in the midfield. There is also the possibility that Diskerud could line up next to Beckerman as the player who links Beckerman to the more attack-minded players.

In the United States Men’s National Team’s last game against Jamaica, the United States played without much conviction or intensity, and this, and not the 4-1-3-2 formation change was the likely culprit for the U.S.’ poor passing and general play.

The absence of Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey from the midfield resulted in a lack of quality possession and good passing, and even with Landon Donvon playing, Jozy Altidore, Aron Jóhannasson, and Mix Diskerud were constantly dropping deep to show for the ball, which diminished the ability of the United States to have Diskerud playing final balls for Altidore and Jóhannsson.

There was a disconnect in the American midfield against Jamaica, but with Beckerman presumably sitting back deeper against Panama than Jones did against Jamaica, Diskerud should be able to collect the ball from Beckerman and combine with Alejandro Bedoya and Graham Zusi or Sacha Kljestan in order to attempt to feed Altidore and Jóhannsson a steady stream of passes in the final third.

All in all, Klinsmann could use a 4-2-3-1 where Jóhannsson lines up out wide merely on paper, or Klinsmann could use the 4-1-3-2 formation again given the fact that Beckerman hangs back much deeper when playing for the United States than Jones tends to do.

The United States will likely start both Altidore and Jóhannsson again, which would mean that the likely Starting XI will be as follows:

GUZAN; EVANS, CAMERON, GOODSON, BEASLEY/CASTILLO; BECKERMAN; ZUSI, DISKERUD, BEDOYA; ALTIDORE, JÓHANNSSON.

Despite the line-up prediction above, the United States could decide to give Terrence Boyd a start up top, but it’s important that Diskerud, Altidore, and Jóhannsson build some chemistry.

World Soccer Source doesn’t feel that Beckerman or Goodson have the athleticism to keep up with the quick and skilled attackers that the United States will see at the World Cup, so this game against Panama should be used to see how Orozcco does at center back and how Cameron can do playing as the lone defensive midfielder.

For this writer, there’s no real point in giving Goodson or Beckerman minutes against Panama, even though they will both likely start. Goodson and Beckerman are fundamentally-sound players, but they lack the combination of skill and athleticism that the United States will need in the 2014 World Cup.

But, working within the constraints of the roster, this writer would like to see a  4-1-2-1-2 Starting XI as follows:

GUZAN; EVANS, OROZCO, GOODSON, CASTILLO; CAMERON; BEDOYA, KLJESTAN; DISKERUD; ALTIDORE, JÓHANNSSON.

 

Who Should the USMNT Start vs. Panama?

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Joe Benny Corona (Photo: Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports)
Joe Benny Corona (Photo: Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports)

 

Suspended or not, Jürgen Klinsmann will be picking the USMNT’s Starting XI, and he will discuss what substitutions he wants made in certain scenarios.

Klinsmann’s USMNT Starting XI against Panama is anyone’s guess, but one reality about the United States’s Gold Cup roster is that many of the best players Klinsmann had at his disposal were snubbed from this roster.

Turning to the roster than Klinsmann does have, it is imperative that Klinsmann start Nick Rimando, Michael Parkhurst, DaMarcus Beasley, Stuart Holden, Mix Diskerud, Joe Benny Corona, Landon Donovan, and Eddie Johnson. The other three starting line-up spots are debatable.

Given Panama’s skill and athleticism, the USMNT should fill the final three roster spots with Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler at center back with Michael Orozco Fiscal starting as a combination of a midfield destroyer and a third center back.

In the semifinal, Joe Benny Corona, Mix Diskerud, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco, and Brek Shea all started on the bench.

A strong argument could be made that all of those players should be starters in the Gold Cup final.

Of the four defenders making up the back line, Klinsmann will likely start Michael Parkhurst at right back, Matt Besler at left center back, and DaMarcus Beasley at left back. Based on previous USMNT XIs in the Gold Cup, the second center back to partner with Matt Besler could be one of three players: Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson, or Michael Orozco Fiscal.

Although extremely unlikely, Klinsmann could elect to use three center backs and two wingbacks; it is technically possible.

Some of the U.S. coach’s starting line-up selections have caught people off guard, and who knows what sort of formation Klinsmann will elect to use against Panama?

Unless the German coach of the United States gives some sort of hint about whom he is going to start at center back, the USMNT will likely use a defensive back four with Omar Gonzalez or Clarence Goodson partnering with Besler.

Panama’s striker, Blas Perez, will cause the United States’ defense problems, and Kyle Beckerman will lack the athleticism to prevent him from going at the center of the American defense.

Therefore, starting Michael Orozco and Matt Besler might be the best center back pairing the U.S. can use against a skilled and athletic Panamanian side, who will be fired up to win.

If Klinsmann is going to start Kyle Beckerman as a midfield destroyer in front of the back four, then the USMNT will need agile and skilled center backs to keep up with Panama’s guile and athleticism.

Turning to the midfield and assuming that Kyle Beckerman is starting, the assumption has to be that Joe Benny Corona will return to the starting lineup to play behind Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan, even if Donovan is listed as a central attacking midfielder or a winger on the official line-up.

As in other games in the Gold Cup, a decision has to be made about the final two roster spots in the midfield. Should the USMNT start Stuart Holden and Mix Diskerud just behind Corona, or should some other formation be used?

Klinsmann has been picking Holden or Diskerud to partner with Beckerman, but he has also started both of them together without Beckerman. In one game, he started both Diskerud and Holden, but he left Corona on the bench.

Since this is a final that the United States and Klinsmann desperately want to win, the wise decision would be to start Holden, Diskerud, Corona, Donovan, and Johnson.

This writer believes that Beckerman’s lack of speed and quickness will be a liability against Blas Perez, but it’s very unlikely that Klinsmann doesn’t give Beckerman the start as the midfield destroyer lining up directly in front of the back four.

 

World Soccer Source believes the best Starting XI that the USMNT can use in the final is this line-up below:

Nick RIMANDO; Michael PARKHURST, Omar GONZALEZ, Matt BESLER, DaMarcus BEASLEY; Michael OROZCO; Stuart HOLDEN, Mix DISKERUD; Joe Benny CORONA; Eddie JOHNSON, Landon DONOVAN.

 

Despite this writer’s opinion, Klinsmann will likely start Kyle Beckerman, who this writer believes will work out if both Holden and Diskerud start just in front of Beckerman and if Gonzalez or Orozco or both are starting at center back.

José Torres has had a strong tournament, but Klinsmann has been strategically resting Holden, Diskerud, and Corona throughout the tournament, which seems to indicate that he might be planning on starting all three in the final.

 

With the two caveats that Torres and Goodson might start in place of Gonzalez and Holden or Diskerud, World Soccer Source believes that Klinsmann will likely field the following Starting XI below:

RIMANDO; PARKHURST, GONZALEZ, BESLER, BEASLEY; BECKERMAN, HOLDEN; CORONA, DISKERUD, DONOVAN; JOHNSON.

 

On a hypothetical note, as Klinsmann has been known to not use his full strength line-ups when he said he would and as he has mysteriously omitted certain players from starting line-ups for no clear reason, there is a very, very remote possibility that Klinsmann could elect to use a line-up made up of a new combination of proven Gold Cup performers.

The reason for this deviation from previous line-ups would be to neutralize any game plan that Panama intends to employ in order to target certain players to attack or to focus on defensively with more than one marker.

In the line-up below, if Panama focused on double-marking Donovan, then Holden, Diskerud, Corona, or Johnson would always be open.

Additionally, in the line-up below, with Besler moved to left back the USMNT would have a better left-footed defender than Beasley patrolling the U.S.’ left side of the field, plus Besler is also fast enough to play left back.

If Besler were used as a left back to provide speed and strong defense out wide, then the center of the midfield would be somewhat overloaded with players who excel at maintaining possession by passing and moving and using one-to-two touch passing to break down defenses with quick, incisive passes.

On the off chance that Klinsmann elected to really alter his usual Gold Cup tactics and formations, an example of an unlikely Starting XI would be the one below:

 

RIMANDO; PARKHURST, OROZCO, GONZALEZ, BESLER; BECKERMAN; HOLDEN, DISKERUD; CORONA; JOHNSON, DONOVAN.

 

The USMNT’s Christmas Tree Option Against Honduras

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With Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore up top, the USMNT can use the Christmas Tree Formation against Honduras. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
With Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore in attack, the USMNT can use the Christmas Tree Formation against Honduras. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

 

The Christmas Tree formation, a.k.a. L’albero di Natale, is a tactical option against Honduras next Tuesday.

 

With Geoff Cameron, Jermaine Jones, and Michael Bradley all possessing strong technical and defensive abilities, these three players in a line of three in front of the defensive back four could neutralize Honduras’ technical ability and speed while also stuffing the midfield with technically-skilled midfielders who like to circulate the ball around quickly.

 

Using Cameron, Jones, and Bradley is much different than the three defensive midfielder formation that Jürgen Klinsmann used to use with the United States Men’s National Team because all three players have a superior combination of athleticism and skill than Danny Williams, Kyle Beckerman, and to a lesser extent, Maurice Edu.

 

On paper, this Christmas Tree formation looks overly defensive, but given the playing style and skill-level of Cameron, Bradley, and Jones, these three defensive midfielders don’t just sit back and play defense; all three are able to facilitate possession soccer and play incisive through balls and final balls.

 

These three midfielders started at the same time employs a military strategy called “rapid dominance” which is often referred to as “shock and awe.” The presence of three midfielders of the size, athleticism, and ball control of Bradley, Jones, and Cameron should be able to easily dictate the tempo of the game against Honduras by simultaneously using defensive prowess and technical ability as a weapon against Honduras.

 

Many observers commented on how Cameron knew how to stay back deeper against Panama in order to let Bradley go forward more with the attack, but Cameron provided excellent passing throughout the game, in addition to surging forward when the opportunity presented itself. Cameron showed that he knew how to go forward and track back without being caught out of position.

 

With Jones, Bradley, and Cameron covering for each other and picking their opportunities to go forward, the USMNT has the opportunity to disrupt the passing rhythm of Honduras while still playing one-to-two touch soccer.

 

As the line of two players in front of Bradley, Cameron, and Jones, the U.S. has the option of using Clint Dempsey plus one other player. Some people will call for Graham Zusi. Others will call for Fabian Johnson, and still others will see this as a time to insert Stuart Holden. The boldest choice of all and the one with the most potential for exciting and effective attacking play is Joe Corona.

 

With the formation proposed above, Joe Corona playing with Clint Dempsey behind Jozy Altidore presents the United States with the chance to give Corona a bigger role with the national team, and this role can further improve the display of quality team passing that occurred against Panama.

Geoff Cameron’s Commanding Performance

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Geoff Cameron was everywhere against Panama. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)
Geoff Cameron was everywhere against Panama. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)

 

In Brazil, at least on the Seleção, the midfield destroyer or the cabeça de área, wears number five, whereas this role is often associated with the number 6 in Europe.

 

Nevertheless, Geoff Cameron played this role for the United States Men’s National Team against Panama, but Cameron went above and beyond the midfield destroyer role with his elegant passing and attacking forays.

 

Cameron was one of the most noticeable players on the field against Panama due to height, physique, tireless running, and his excellent technical play.

 

Against Panama, according to Major League Soccer’s official site’s Chalkboard feature, Cameron completed 47 of 56 passes, recovered the ball 11 times, made 7 interceptions, made 6 clearances, won five tackles, and delivered one assist.

 

While Panama isn’t one of the elite soccer nations, it is nevertheless an athletic and skilled national team that is an appropriate barometer of the skill of a player. Against Panama, Cameron showed how he is a complete midfielder and a commanding presence on the field.

 

Cameron received praised for the chip he floated to Eddie Johnson, who controlled the pass and finished with excellent left-footed technique and coolness in front of the net, but Cameron produced 90 minutes of one-to-two touch soccer characterized by graceful inside and outside of the foot passes that kept the ball circulating in the midfield and encouraged a higher-caliber of passing than even the Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley combination could deliver.

 

Cameron’s smooth athleticism and refined fundamentals have been on display for years, but the game against Panama raised his public profile among many Americans and others as he showed how a defensive midfielder role didn’t restrict the defensive midfielder to merely playing defense and sitting back.

 

Somewhat like Clint Dempsey, Cameron lives for the big games, and Cameron isn’t willing to try things whether they be 40 yard outside of the foot passes or headed shots from 25 yards out to catch the goalkeeper off guard.

 

Jermaine Jones is a Champions League and Bundesliga veteran and a different type of player than Cameron, so both players are excellent overall footballers with a lot to offer.

 

Cameron’s performance presents the USMNT with the opportunity to unleash Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, and Geoff Cameron against an opponent at the same time, if tactics called for it. While using all three in a starting line-up would be the so-called Christmas Tree formation (4-3-2-1), the formation wouldn’t be without skilled passers and talented defenders.

 

Cameron could be started in place of Jones, but there could be a time where an opponent will need to be confronted with three powerful and technically-skilled central midfielders who each offer a complete set of midfield skills and qualities.

USMNT: Skilled Front Six Beats Panama

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Eddie Johnson (right) and Clint Dempsey (left). (Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM)
Eddie Johnson (right) and Clint Dempsey (left). (Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM)

 

Jürgen Klinsmann didn’t have the option of using two of his first choice players (Graham Zusi and Jermaine Jones), and the United States Men’s National Team played its best soccer under Klinsmann’s tenure.

 

More so than in any other game under Klinsmann, the front six players in front of the goalkeeper and the defensive back four were all technically-skilled, athletic, and dynamic.

 

Without Zusi starting as something between a right wing and a right midfielder, the American attack along the right side of the field was less focused on crossing and more focused on quick passing soccer.

 

While Zusi certainly has the ability to play one-to-two touch soccer, without Zusi, Eddie Johnson was started as a right winger in name alone where he was able to stretch the Panamanian defense with his speed and runs, which were rewarded by passes by Geoff Cameron and others.

 

Klinsmann’s Front Six worked really well together due to the skill and playing style of the players, but the formation itself was somewhat unbalanced and hard to categorized. The front six was essentially two defensive midfielders, two attacking midfielders, and two strikers, but one of the strikers, Eddie Johnson, was supposedly playing as a right winger.

 

In reality, Eddie Johnson out right was playing more as a combination of an outside forward and a center forward, as he constantly switched back and forth between the two roles.

 

Neverthless, it was quite telling that a combination of players who Klinsmann didn’t envision as his ideal Starting XI actually produced the type of proactive soccer that he discussed when he was first appointed coach in August of 2011.

 

For USMNT fans, the game against Panama offered a glimpse of what higher-caliber soccer looks like as Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey played off each other with first-time passes, balls rolled back with the bottom of their cleats, back heels, wall passes, and the like, while Michael Bradley and Geoff Cameron roamed all over the field facilitating passing, breaking up passes, and tackling. Out left, Fabian Johnson combined with everyone, in addition to cutting inside toward the penalty box to look to shoot or break down the Panamanian defense.

 

Brad Evans didn’t perform as well as he had against Germany primarily because he was beaten with speed, which was outside of his control. Evans didn’t defend poorly or put in a poor performance, but he was simply unable to keep up with Panama’s attackers. This lack of speed wasn’t a real problem for the USMNT because Evans was covered by the U.S.’ two defensive midfielders, Bradley and Cameron, as well as the right center back, Omar Gonzalez.

 

One observation that might have gone unnoticed with the United States’ improved ball movement, Cameron and Bradley’s commanding central midfield and defensive midfield performances, and Altidore’s and Eddie Johnson’s goals was Matt Besler’s noticeably increased use of his weaker right foot. With Besler’s speed and strong defensive instincts, the use of both feet takes his game to a new level.

 

Against an athletic and skilled Panamanian national team, the United States made its first big step to playing a higher caliber of soccer based on technical skill and excellent team passing.

Who Should the USMNT Start Against Panama?

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Geoff Cameron. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)
Geoff Cameron. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)

 

Jürgen Klinsmann is likely to start the same line-up that he used against Jamaica except for Graham Zusi (suspended) and Jermaine Jones (concussion), but Klinsmann will likely play Eddie Johnson out of position as a left or right winger, instead of using him as a out-and-out striker with Jozy Altidore.

Klinsmann would be wise to use Joe Corona and Clint Dempsey as attacking midfielders behind Jozy Altidore and Eddie Johnson, if Klinsmann wants to use Eddie Johnson.

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The USMNT needs Joe Corona’s creativity against Panama

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Joe Corona is one of several attacking midfielders who can help the United States. © Frederick Breedon / Getty Images
Joe Corona is one of several attacking midfielders who can help the United States. © Frederick Breedon / Getty Images

 

With Panama’s place in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table, Panama’s technical ability needs to be met with Joe Corona’s similar brand of technical ability, as opposed to trying to absorb Panama’s skill.

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